Signing of cooperation memorandum between Russia's Securitiy Council and Romania's CSAT

President Traian Basescu on Monday said that the main objective of the presence in Bucharest at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace of Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev was the signing of a memorandum concerning cooperation between the Security Council of the Russian Federation and Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT).

'The main objective of his presence at Cotroceni was the signing of a memorandum, that is between Mr. Patrushev and Mr. Fota, concerning cooperation between the Security Council of the Russian Federation and Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence,' Basescu told a press conference after a meeting with Patrushev at Cotroceni Palace.

Basescu added that the memorandum will open up an avenue for cooperation between the security and police structures of Romania and the Russian Federation.

President Traian Basescu on Monday said that he talked with Russian Federation Security Council Secretary, General Nikolai Patrushev, about the anti-missile system, the Romanian head of state underscoring that Romania would never accept other states' offensive arms on its territory.

'The anti-missile system was one of the topics discussed, as I mentioned one more time that the anti-missile system of Romania was not pointed against the Russian Federation. Romania would never accept other states' offensive arms on its territory,' President Basescu said, in a statement made at Cotroceni Palace.

The Romanian head of state reiterated that the anti-missile system being deployed to Romania was a defensive one.

President Traian Basescu on Monday said that for the time being he received no invitation to visit Russia, insisting that steps forward are being taken in the political relationship between Romania and Russia.

'I would go there, but for the time being there is no invitation,' Basescu replied to a question about his visiting the Russian Federation.In the context, he said Romania's Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean will go to Russia next week.'I believe there are steps forward even in the political cooperation with Russia, not just economic cooperation,' said Basescu.

Basescu on Monday welcomed Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.